TURKEY – Although, the international media is now turning a blind eye, the citizens of Turkey are still on the streets, protesting against the oppression of freedom and demanding the human rights not to be abused anymore by the totalitarian Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP rule. On the other hand the government keeps pushing the oppression to new heights.

Yesterday (13 July 2013) there were demonstrations from Istanbul to Antakya all over Turkey. Last night police have fired water cannons and tear gas to the several thousand protesters gathered on Istanbul’s İstiklal Avenue to protest a midnight bill adopted this week by the Parliament which curbed the supervision of the Chamber of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) in all urban projects, giving full authority to the Environment and Urban Planning Ministry. Some shop owners also threateningly attacked with batons reporters an protesters chased the protesters into the side streets by the police. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – The Justice and Development Party (AKP) votes ensured the passing of a late-night bill regarding occupational chambers in the June 9 parliamentary session. The move was interpreted by most of the community as a payback for the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architechs’ (TMMOB) vocal support for the ongoing Gezi movement.

The unforeseen proposal, which removes the TMMOB from any involvement in city planning processes and their authority to approve plans, raised concern from opposition benches, with main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy group leader Akif Hamzaçebi describing the proposal as “part of government’s witch hunt over Gezi Park.” CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – Today is 2nd of July 2013, the 20th anniversary of Madimak Massacre. It remarks a dark day in Turkish Republic’s history. 20 years ago today 37 people were burned to death by fundamentalist Islamist in downtown Sivas. Those who died were mostly Alevi poets, writers, musicians, artists, intellectuals. Two hotel employees were also killed in the fires. They were there for an annual cultural festival, a celebration of 16th century Alevi poet Pir Sultan Abdal.

On 2nd of July 1993, after Friday prayer a large number of Salafists gathered in front of the hotel named Otel Madımak. They were enraged by the presence of world renowned writer and intellect Aziz Nesin. Nesin was an atheist. He had translated and published extracts from Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses and was celebrating Pir Sultan Abdal’s legacy with Alevis. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – The AKP government officials requested Twitter to set up an office in the country. Transport and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters on Wednesday that without a corporate presence in the country, the Turkish government could not quickly reach Twitter officials with orders to CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – Yesterday (25. 06. 2013) thousands of people gathered in Taksim Square, Istanbul to protest the release of police officer Ahmet Ş. who was accused of killing Ethem Sarısülük during demonstrations in Kızılay, Ankara. The decision of 13th Ankara Magistrates’ Court is latest proof of the double standard in corrupt judiciary system in Turkey. It is also a good example for the reasons why people of Turkey are on streets, marching against their government.

The police did everything they could to make it hard for the citizens to reach Taksim Square. They blocked all roads potentially leading to the area, checking the passengers of private cars at checkpoints. Journalists were extensively searched by the officers despite showing their official press cards granted by the Prime Ministry’s Press and Information Office. Metro and funicular access to the square was also canceled. The demonstration was only allowed under a heavy riot police cordon. CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – On Saturday (22 June 2013) thousands of people peacefully gathered in Istanbul’s Taksim Square to commemorate four people killed during recent anti-government protests. The crowd laid down carnations for the deceased. Some demonstrators tried to give carnations to the security forces, CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – Since May 31 the citizens of Turkey have been confronting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP for their conservative and authoritarian rule. A big part of the population is continuously protesting the restrictions on basic social and personal CONTINUE READING

TURKEY – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says ‘in a democracy decisions are made by voting at the time of elections. I and my party were elected with nearly %50 of the votes so we have a right to govern the country the way we like. If you have objections there is always a next election’. And this mentality is the core of issues.

Currently Turkey has an electorate of 46 million and 76 million people live in the country. In 2011 elections Tayyip Erdoğan/AKP got 21 million votes and the rest were shared by many different parties. This algorithm made AKP government, one of the most popular and powerful in the history of Turkish Republic. But what does popularity mean if leading party do not listen and understand the whole population? What does power mean if leading party do not use it for the common good of people? What will happen to us – the other 55 million – who did not vote for AKP? Do we all shut up and just live like nobodies with no opinions till the next elections? Governments and PMs might be popular but this does not mean that the citizens cannot criticize their policies/actions. More importantly power and popularity do not grant the right to oppress and physically harm people just because they are speaking up and expressing their disagreement. CONTINUE READING